School Library Journal (SLJ) is a magazine and website for school librarians and public librarians who work with young people. They're the largest reviewer of children's and young adult books.
Annotations supplied by School Library Journal.
The curation of this list is evidence of the gigantic community working together, no questions asked, to campaign for literacy and an educated republic, by inviting young readers into the pages of a book. We’d love to know what you think…
Also available as an eBook "With wacky, bordering-on-nonsensical
humor, Abed and Aly join forces for a story of
plans gone awry, when one sibling wants to read
a composition, but the other constantly inter-
rupts. Brother and sister…
Also available as an eBook. "A premier wordless
picture book creator seems to
complete a loose thematic trilogy
(A Stone for Sascha, The Tree and
the River) that explores themes of
long history, speculative fiction,
and humanity’s…
"A story that
puts readers to work to de-
termine the plot. Flashes
of Lemony Snicket–esque
irony and a bonkers color
palette pair with a bold use
of the elements of story—
this could be used in a
high school English class.
Plus,…
Also available as an eBook. "Capitalizing on a well-established
formula, Ho once again expands representation. This is a powerful, positive adoption story,
beautifully expressed. The cadenced, personal
language combines with gentle art…
Also available as an eBook. "A terrific title on handling grief: everyone handles it differently, and sometimes,
just listening is OK. The small vignettes and quietness of the art is kind and soft, with devastating
impact despite outward…
"While this is a lovely title about the
Jewish naming ceremony of children, it also
presents a compelling opportunity to talk with
young readers about their names and what they
mean. With vivid jewel-toned art, this is inclusivity with…
"A brilliant long-
form illustrated fairy
tale. Nicholls respects
the writings of the Brothers Grimm (with only a
few pragmatic changes
to the plot) and injects
a bit of sly humor that
subtly modernizes the
telling. Sardà's art is…
"A minimalist masterpiece. An extraor-
dinary heatwave is captured, people and animals
nearly melting in the
unrelenting furnace.
Easter eggs point to
what is happening in
storytelling through
bold use of color
and mood, offering…
"A quiet story builds momentum in
art and text, as Angela returns to the place she
calls home. In a book that includes onomatopoe-
ia, sharp letters crackle like stalagmites to convey
how returning to one’s roots can be restorative.…
Also available as an eBook. "Is Tabor repeating himself
with the same book-rotating conceit
employed in Mel Fell? Nope—this is
totally fresh! Should Ursula change
the way she swims, the very way she
views the world? Again, nope. The…
"In Korea, Kyung’s seaside home be-
comes a refuge for people escaping war in the
north. Despite the challenges, Kyung comes to
accept what is happening in this life-affirming
title. One of the few historical picture books
about the…
